Denuo - denuology.com

Two amazing things happened recently:

• Friend and former Starcom Chicago office neighbor Graham created an awesome new meme: the Golden Girls Sitcom Archetype.  It postulates that every sitcom has 4 cast members that can be tied back to the 4 Golden Girls: 

• Newest addition to Denuo, designer Reed, posted on Facebook that he looks like Andy Dwyer from the NBC comedy hit, Parks & Recreation.

Using Graham’s template, you can judge for yourself:

#TRUTH

Which got me and fellow Denuologist Chris Blumberg thinking:

Does the cast of Parks and Recreation match up against the crew of Denuo?

Surprisingly, yes – let’s explore!

Once again, the PLAYED crew tore through the Electronic Entertainment Expo in a whirlwind of meetings, presentations and, of course, the best games.  After catching our breath and gathering our thoughts, we all agreed that this year’s show felt a little different from previous E3 events.

Included in our E3 recap is a look at how publishers are starting the promotional machine further and further out, leaving less gaming for players to do on the showfloor and a deeper focus on 2012’s big-budget releases.  We also analyze the “Big Three’s” (Microsoft, Nintendo, and Sony) big steps to connect accessible gamers with core gamers through new technology and systems.  Finally, we check out how games built for the elementary school-age crowd held sway at the show, and non-endemic brands’ attempts to fit in with the game-centric crowds.  Download it here!

Did you know that some people think the Onion is real? And that they post articles from in to their Facebook as if they are true?  Or that twice a year the sun lines up perfectly with the east-west streets in New York City causing an amazing display of light called ‘Mahattanhenge”?  You will learn more about both those things on Page 1.

On page 2 you can wonder at what comes out of one man’s mouth as he sleeps. We really aren’t sure how his wife gets any sleep. And then you can see what the world would be like as a village of 100 people, but with the same demographic proportions. We bet it will give you some fresh perspectives on our planet.

There’s also a link to a site that only has cute animal videos on it.

Download Issue 86 of Reflecteur here.

You can learn how to make your own science fiction items with some fake Ikea Assembly Manuals from CollegeHumor. Or you can help undermine the growth of QR codes by spreading these fake ones. Or maybe it’s time to celebrate the classic 90s video game character, Sonic the Hedgehog? Or perhaps you just want to go a bit further back and remember how awesome McGyver was?

You can do all this and more in the latest issue of Reflecteur. You can even check out Yahoo’s recent interview with VivaKi Chief Strategy and Innovation Officer Rishad Tobaccowala.

There’s also a cat link in there.

Download Issue 85 of Reflecteur here.

We live in a world where parents name their children after social actions, where social media can , and where consumers have the ability to alter brand decisions. With such great influence and power, social media creates limitless opportunities for both consumers and brands. Too often for brands, however, the end game for their efforts is simply earning a certain number of likes, followers or views instead of the larger consumer connection.

Human connections range in the types and length of value they provide. Some connections can be short-lived while others are more sustained, and the level of impact can vary across both (think of the difference between someone handing you a flyer for a free cup of coffee vs. the barista who makes your coffee for you every morning). However, all meaningful connections, whether they occur in person or via social media, are grounded in value. So before brands start a new social program, revamp their Facebook page or extend a current campaign to the social space, they need to take a step back and examine their overall purpose and the value they can create.